Photographic method of producing intaglio-printing cylinders



Sept. 3@, 1939. j STARK 1 777 133 PHOTOGRAPHIC METHOD OF PRODUCING INTAGLIO PRINTING CYLINDERS Original Filed Dec. 17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. H. STARK 5&t. 3Q, 1930.

PHOTOGRAPHIC METHOD OF PRODUCING INTAGLIO PRINTING CYLINDERS Original Filed Dec. 17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 30, 1930. STARK EJ77 133 PHOTOGRAPHIC METHOD OF PRODUCING INTAGLIO PRINTING CYLINDERS Original Filed Dec. 17, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 30, 1930 STATES PATENT orrrcr.

JOSEPH H. STARK, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED PIECE DYE WORKS, OF LODI, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PHOTOGRAPHIO METHOD OF PRODUCING INTAGLIO-I PRINTING CYLINDERS Application filed December 17, 1926, Serial No. 155,522. Renewed December 21, 1929.

This invention relates to the printing art, and contemplates a novel method of producing an intaglio etched plate or cylinder surface especially adapted for the printing oflarge areas of solid color necessitates the use of ink retaining ground lines, the ink being forced out from the ends of the ground lines and tending to produce wavy and uneven margins on the printed pattern. The undesirable spreading of the ink from the margins of the pattern is further accentuated by the porous and absorbent character of textile fabrics.

To obviate this difficulty, and produce printed textile patterns of sharp and definite outline, it has in the past been necessary to hand engrave the design to be printed, elther directly on the printing cylinder or on a zinc plate from whlch it was transferred to the varnished printing cylinder by a pantograph machine, and subsequently etched in the surface of the printing cylinder. Since in this process ground lines were often placed over the entire. varnished surface of the printing cylinder it was likewise necessary to stop out the ground lines where printing wasnot desired, prior to etchingthe cyllnder.

The present invention contemplates preparation of an intaglio etched printing cylinder without hand engraving. It further contemplates the preparation of such an intaglio etched printing surface entirely by photographic processes, as well as formation of ground lines by a photographic process, on the surfaces of the cylinder where such lines are desired, and on these surfaces only. A representative mode of practicing the invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a design which is to be reproduced by printing.

Figure 2 represents a silver print hotograph of the design upon which the gures have been traced and sharply defined in ink and the solid color areas bleached out.

Figure 3 represents a photographic positive of the bleached outlined silver print, upon which the parts to be printed in solid color have been rendered opaque.

Figure 4 is a photographic positive from the bleached outlined silver print.

' Figure 5 represents a ground line screen used in conjunction with the positive shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 represents a printproduced on the gelatine resist by printing from'the positive shown in Figure 4, used with the ground line positive of Figure 5.

In one process involving the use of the present invention the procedure is as follows: A silver print is first made of the artists design which is to be printed, such as the design shown in Figure 1. The figures of the design are then outlined on the silver print in opaque ink, that is all lines of the figures are traced, as indicated by the heavy black lines 1. The print is then bleached thus removing the solid color areas and leaving all figures clearly and sharply outlined and defined with opaque lines 1.

Two photographic positives are then made on glass or film from a negative produced by photographing the outlined silver print. These positives are for use in transferring the pattern to a sensitized gelatin resist, which controls the etching on the printing cylinder. One of the positives is prepared for use by rendering opaque the parts corresponding to the solid color portions. of the design, such parts being indicated at 2. Such an opaqued positive of the outlined silver print (Figure 2) is shown in Figure 3. The second positive from the outlined silver print negative, which merely shows in opaque lines the outline of the figures ofthe design (Figthe outline positive, (Figure 4.) and the ground line print (Figure 5). The composite print resulting from thus superimposing I the opaqued positive Figure 3, the outline ,positive Figure 4 and the ground line positive Figure 5 is shown in Figure 6. The solid color parts of the pattern are covered with the necessary ground lines, whichterminate abruptly in the sharp and solid outlines of the pattern figures. It is, of course,

necessary that in the second printing upon the sensitized gelatin resist that the Figure 4 outline positive be placed in exact registry with the print previously made by the use of the Figure 3 positive.

The gelatin resist bearing the composite print formed by the successive use, in registry of the opaqued positive (Figure 3) and the outline positive (Figure 4), the ground line positive (Figure 5) being used in conjunction with the latter, is then transferred to the printing cylinder, ,Which is subsequentiy etched to the requisite depth. A sharply outlined intaglio, with proper ground lines is thus produced solely byphotographic means, and without hand engraving or pantograph transferring.

The successive steps of the process may be summarized as follows:

First: Make silver print of the artists de- Second: Outline the figures of the pattern on the silver print in opaque ink and bleach print.

Third: Make a negative. and two positives from the outlined silver print on glass or film.

Fourth: ()paque all solid color parts on one of the positives.

Fifth: Print on the sensitized gelatin resist from the opaqued positive.

Sixth: Superimpose on the print thus seeured on the resist a print from the outline positive used in conjunction with a ground line positive.

Seventh: Transfer the printed resist to the printing cylinder to control the etching of the cylinder.

The fifth and sixth steps might obviously be reversed, and other details of the process set forth may be greatly varied, the invention being limited only by a broad construc tion of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In the photographic preparation of intaglio printing plates for the printing of a design, the method which comprises successively' printing on a gelatin resist from a photopositive having the colored parts of the design opaqued, and a photopositive showing the outlines only of the figures of the pattern in opaque lines.

2. In the preparation of intaglio plates or cylinders for the printing of designs, the method which comprises the use of 'two photographic positives of the design, one of said positives showing the outlines only of the design in opaque lines, and the other of said positives having been retouched to render the solid color portions of the design opaque.

'- 3. In the preparation of intaglio printing I plates and cylinders for the printing of de-.

signs, the method which comprises preparing a silver print photograph of the artists design, outlining the design on said silver print in opaque ink, preparing two positives from the outlined silver print, opaquing the solid. color portions of the design on one of said positives, and printing successively from said prints on a sensitized gelatin resist.

4. In the preparation of intaglio printing plates for the printing of designs, the method which comprises printing on a sensitized resist from two photopositives of the design' to be reproduced, a ground line positive being used simultaneously with one of said photopositives.

5. In the preparation of intaglio plates for the printingof designs, the method which comprises the use of a silver print of the design tobe reproduced, said silver print having the outlines of said design traced thereon with opaque ink.

6. In the preparation ofcintaglio plates for the printing of designs, the method which comprises controlling the etching of said plates by a resist on which said design together with ground lines has been photographically reproduced.

7. In the preparation of an intaglio plate for the printing of designs, the method of making a gelatin resist for controlling the etching of said plate which comprises successively printing on said resist from a photopositive having the colored parts of the pattern opaqued, and a print showing the outlines of the design only in opaque lines.

8. In the preparation of intaglio etched printing plates for the printing of the designs, the method which comprises successively printing on a' sensitized resist from a positive of the design to be reproduced, having the solid color portions opaque and a seconil positiveshowing the design in outline on y.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my sig nature to this specification.

JOSEPH H. STARK.

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